1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method and device for determining the presence of certain components in human urine. In particular, the present invention is directed to a urine self-test device, comprised of biodegradable materials, which can be placed directly into the toilet after urination for detection of predetermined substances which may be found within the urine. While the invention can be configured to detect any substance ascertainable within urine, the invention is directed particularly to urine testing for pregnancy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many medical diagnostic tests require the detection of specific components which are found in urine specimens. Most medical tests for the presence of components in the urine are conducted in a laboratory. However, there are many benefits to self-administered medical tests including decreased costs, saving of time and increased privacy. The most common example is that of the home pregnancy test which generally utilizes a human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) indicator which changes color if hCG is found in the urine which is suggestive of pregnancy.
Despite the advantages of self-testing, the handling of urine and urine-ladened test devices is objectionable. Further, the disposal of non-biodegradable testing devices can be objectionable, particularly when privacy is desired and the device can not be conveniently or discretely disposed.
At present, devices are available for self-administered urine testing for: pregnancy, pathological growths such as hydatiform mole or choriocarcinoma which may cause hCG secretion and for determining blood in the urine. There is an increase in self-administered medical testing specific to urine due to the ease of testing, decreased medical cost and generally decreased time for return of test results. While there has been an overall increase in self testing, pregnancy testing in particular has greatly improved over the past few decades. Early pregnancy tests required a visit to a physician who would draw blood and conduct fairly elaborate chemical tests, often requiring the use of a host animal which had to be killed. Further, it could take several days for the return of the test results. Laboratory methods eventually developed which avoided blood sampling, and the death of animals, by conforming the test process to urine samples in which can be detected hCG during pregnancy. A home sampling test was developed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,908, although the sample had to be sent to a laboratory for analysis by radioimmunoassay. Finally, a test was developed which allowed a home pregnancy test to be totally self-administered with results available in just a few minutes.
Several companies manufacture home pregnancy tests which are available on the market at nominal prices. All of the home pregnancy tests currently available utilize a specimen collector or indicator which is held in the stream of urine during normal urination or dipped into a container of collected urine. If the woman is pregnant, it is likely that hCG will be secreted within the urine. A predetermined indicator such as a monoclonal antibody specific to the beta subunit of hCG is provided by the testing device and will change color, or provide some other visible indication, if hCG is present and detected. It is well known within the art how to provide reagents which change color, or provide some visible reaction, when subjected to urine containing hCG, even in dilute amounts which may be present in a toilet bowl after urination. Most of the available testing devices also provide a control indicator to show that the test performed as indicated. However, the indicator portion of the test device is often small with the color differentials between a positive result and a negative result being difficult to distinguish. Some of the test devices provide a + or - symbol for positive or negative results, with the symbols being so small as to require close and careful inspection of the urine laden device.
The known home pregnancy tests have several other problems. Women are generally dissatisfied with the present devices due to the necessity of holding the test indicator directly in the stream of urine, or collecting urine in a specimen container so that the indicator may be placed therein. Either of these methods often produce the undesirable result of contacting the urine stream with a hand or clothing. Further, during the requisite period of waiting for the test results, the device must either be held in the hand or placed on a level surface which increases the likelihood of dripping or spilling urine. After the test is completed, the indicator device must be disposed into the trash, often resulting in the further dripping or spilling of urine. While some of the testing devices function properly in diluted urine, they are not suitable for disposal into the sewer system for physical reasons of structural stability, size and inert or non-biodegradable content. Further, the small indicator portions provided on the known test devices can not be seen without close inspection.
Pregnancy test results can produce a wide range of emotion and the experience is not enhanced by the perceived nastiness of the testing process. Additionally, if the testing process is a private matter, the secrecy of the process may be jeopardized if the test indicator is not properly disposed. It is desirable to have a test indicator which does not have to be handled after it is subjected to contact with urine and which does not have to be disposed of in the trash.
It is an object and purpose of this invention to provide an urine test device which does not have to be handled after being subjected to urine.
It is also an object and purpose of this invention to provide a visibly reactive response to the presence of hCG in dilute urine, with the reactive response readily visible to the user.
It is a further object and purpose of this invention to allow the user of the urine test device to read the results from a distance, particularly while it is in the toilet bowl containing dilute urine.
Yet another object and purpose of this invention is to provide a biodegradable alternative to the known urine test devices thereby allowing the urine test device to be safely flushed into a sewage system or septic system.